72. “Drunk And Hot Girls”

GraduationSample Lyrics:Stop running up my tab cause these drinks is not free / You drunk and hot girl

There’s no doubt that Kanye West is one of the hip-hop game’s most brilliant lyricists and producers. But not all Kanye songs are created equal. Case in point, this clunker of a song that makes it hard to rank Graduation as one of his top albums. This might as well be a Tyga song.

70. “Barry Bonds”

Almost as bad as “Drunk and Hot Girls,” both songs serve as the intermission in Graduation where you can get up, grab some snacks and use the restroom. Also, using Barry Bonds as a metaphor of being the best in the game is some of Kanye’s laziest work.

69. “Breathe In, Breathe Out”

As far Ludacris songs go, it would have fit in perfectly on the playful Word Of Mouf, but on Kanye’s debut album? It sticks out like a sore thumb. It sounds like radio single pandering, which is thankfully what Kanye has morphed into the antithesis of.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with this song, but it’s not up to the level of everything else on MBDTF. Cudi delivers a serviceable hook, reminding us that his best work is often on Kanye-produced tracks, and Raekwon absolutely kills it, but it’s not his album.

67. “Two Words”

This is where we get to songs that aren’t necessarily bad, they just don’t stack up against the sheer volume of brilliance Kanye has produced. Also, this is once again a track where Common does the heavy lifting. The video is fantastic though.

65. “Celebration”

Late RegistrationSample Lyrics:You know what this is / It’s a celebration, bitches!

An example of some of Kanye’s earlier tracks that had great, laid-back samples and an equally laid back rap. It’s nice to listen to and wind down from an album that hits hard, but it’s not particularly memorable.

64. “Everything I Am”

GraduationSample Lyrics:People talk so much shit about me at barbershops / They forget to get their hair cut

This is a beautiful song about embracing what you bring to the game, instead of trying to be someone else. But there’s also a great moment early on in the song where he subtly talks about never fully being able to cross over into mainstream pop, but also never feeling like he could be truly embraced as a “real” black hip-hop artist because of his personal style and subject matter.

60. “Paranoid”

808s & HeartbreakSample Lyrics:Why are you so paranoid? / Don’t be so paranoid

Lyrically, there’s not a lot to this song. But the beat, along with Mr. Hudson once again offering his vocals, it’s one of the highlights of 808s, Kanye’s most equally ambitious and satisfying album until Yeezus came around.

59. “We Don’t Care”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:The drug game bulimic / It’s hard to get weight

This isn’t a typical Kanye song — a lot of the subject matter on this album doesn’t reappear on his subsequent ones. He does discuss drugs and their effect on the black community on most of his albums but this is more of an “ode to the streets” that’s more reminiscent of Biggie’s “Juicy” than any kind of social analysis.

58. “Big Brother”

GraduationSample Lyrics:By The Black Album, I was blacking out / Partyin’ S.O.B.’s and we had packed a crowd

Kanye’s ode to his relationship with Jay, this is definitely one of his more heartfelt songs. He sees Jay as family and in a life mostly defined by the women in his family, Jay is the big brother/father figure he’s always craved approval from. By being granted to ability to step out of Jay’s shadow, he’s now paying his thanks.

57. “Say You Will”

The minimalist electronic beat and lyrics are the perfect kick-off to Kanye’s 2009 album, the first after his mother’s death. He’s grappling with the concept of commitment and love and whether the person he’s fixated on will stick around. Kanye’s work becomes entrenched in darkness with this song and it’s guided his path since.

56. “Good Morning”

Kanye didn’t finish college, as we could surmise from the title of his debut album. Which means that “graduation” has been a metaphor for his career milestones. This song serves as a prep for his final milestone, stepping out of Jay-Z’s shadow and into the limelight as a full-fledged icon himself.

55. “Guilt Trip”

YeezusSample Lyrics:Star Wars fur / Yeah I’m rocking Chewbacca

“Guilt Trip” is the reason “Gorgeous” isn’t higher on the list, because the production goes far beyond the latter song into an electronic masterpiece. Kid Cudi is utilized much better on this track as well, which takes all of the emotion poured into the entirety of 808s and slams it into a single track.

54. “Gone”

Late RegistrationSample Lyrics:Damn Ye it’d be stupid to diss you / Even your superficial raps is super-official

This is a typical “I’m the best in the game” song that every rapper is required to put on their album, but West’s production along with a verse from Cam’Ron that kills elevates it to the excellence that this album demanded.

53. “We Major”

Late RegistrationSample Lyrics:I ain’t in the Klan but I brought my hood with me

This track is notable for Kanye recording a guest verse from Nas while he and Jay were still beefing. That should’ve been one of the early signs that Kanye does whatever Kanye wants when it comes to his music. And it works. It’s easily one of Nas’ best flows in the past decade.

52. “Bound 2”

There’s a reason this is the final track on Kanye’s latest album. The beat is a throwback to his earlier days, as if to remind fans that he hasn’t forgotten his roots after taking them down an intense rabbit hole on Yeezus. But it’s also much more than a throwback, lyrically it’s in step with the Kanye he’s morphed into. He shouts “Jerome’s in the house,” referencing one of Martin Lawrence’s character’s on the ’90s sitcom Martin. Kanye’s reminding us that at the end of the day, this is all a performance. And he’s putting on a great one.

50. “Bring Me Down”

Late RegistrationSample Lyrics:Since Pac passed away / Most you rappers don’t even deserve a track from me

It’s a shame Brandy hasn’t had much of post-2000s career, because when you listen to tracks like this, you’re reminded of how soulful her voice is. Even singing only the hook, she sounds as beautiful and mesmerizing as if she were one of Kanye’s trademark samples.

49. “Dark Fantasy”

You know shit’s gonna get weird when Nicki Minaj opens a track telling a nursery rhyme in a British accent. It’s the perfect opening to MBDTF though, because this album is weird, operatic and exists in a weird universe where Nicki actually kills it on all of her verses instead of the one we actually live in where she prances around on beaches in colorful wigs praying to her alien gods to return her to the mothership.

46. “Champion”

GraduationSample Lyrics:Lauryn Hill said her heart was in Zion / I wish her heart still was in rhyming

This is a rare track about Kanye’s father, talking about Ray West’s “get rich” schemes that were at the heart, designed to bolster Kanye into the champion that he is today. It continues in the tradition of Graduation, which pays homage to all those who guided Kanye to his future so he could step out on his own.

45. “Good Life”

GraduationSample Lyrics:Have you ever popped champagne on a plane, while gettin some brain / Whipped it out, she said, “I never seen Snakes on a Plane”

When he’s not paying homage to his past on Graduation, he’s enjoying the spoils of his victory. The sample of Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T” elevates it beyond a traditional bragging rap track, which Kanye has rarely delivered except for the aforementioned dud “Breathe In, Breathe Out.”

44. “Never Let Me Down”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:I can’t complain what the accident did to my left eye / Cause look what an accident did to Left Eye

A preview of Watch The Throne, this is an excellent track where Jay-Z and Kanye trade verses before handing the reigns over to spoken word poet J. Ivy. It’s even more enjoyable because it exists in a perfect hip-hop time capsule that Kanye will probably never return to.

42. “School Spirit”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:I got a Jones like Norah for your soror / Bring more of them girls I’ve seen in The Aurora

Kanye’s ode to black fraternities and sororities is another anomaly in his prolific career. It fits in with the concept of his debut album, but he doesn’t return to the subject matter in subsequent work, save for the Broke Phi Broke sketches on Late Registration and the line “I’m gon’ get on this TV mamma” which became the hook for “Good Life.”

41. “Hey Mama”

Late RegistrationSample Lyrics:I wanna scream so loud for you / Cuz I’m so proud of you

A beautiful tribute song about Kanye’s mother made even more poignant after her death in 2007. His performance of the song during his Glow In the Dark Tour brought me (and nearly every audience member) to tears.

39. “Amazing”

808s & HeartbreakSample Lyrics:Never gave in, never gave up / I’m the only thing I’m afraid of

You heard it here, y’all. Kanye is amazing. He had already begun his ascent to the Mount Olympus in his mind and this song was his “shots fired” moment. That and snatching that award from Taylor Swift.

37. “On Sight”

YeezusSample Lyrics:And I know she like chocolate men / She got more ni**as off than Cochran

The opening Yeezus track punches you in the face with all the German industrial music that Kanye has clearly ODed on. It’s a bold departure from his previous work, just as we’ve come to expect with each new album.

35. “Send It Up”

YeezusSample Lyrics:This the greatest shit in the club / Since “In Da Club”

As the penultimate track off Yeezus, this is Kanye’s reaffirmation that he’s not living in the past. And he’s just as cocky and sure of his success as ever. The previous tracks might not be what you expect from him, but he doesn’t care, this track will tear up the clubs, he’s still at the top of the game.

34. “Last Call”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:I’m Kan, the Louis Vuitton Don / Bought my mom a purse, now she Louis Vuitton Mom

This track speaks for itself, literally. The outro is eight minutes of Kanye reflecting on his past and how he came to Rocafella and began his ascent in the hip-hop game. Along with Jay-Z’s blessing, it closes out Kanye’s debut album and it’s his official announcement that he’s not going anywhere.

31. “Lost In The World / Who Will Survive In America?”

My Beautiful Dark Twisted FantasySample Lyrics:If we die in each others arms we still get laid in our afterlife

This track did the absolutely shocking thing of making the idea of a Bon Iver NOT seem like an Ambien. So, kudos. Also, the Gil-Scott Heron spoken word takes the concept of “Never Let Me Down” and improves it ten-fold.

30. “Get ‘Em High”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:You know how girls on Black Planet be when they get bubbly

Kanye and Talib trading riffs back and forth on a sample of Biggie’s “Warning.” Everything about it is perfect, and the subject matter makes the existence of “Drunk and Hot Girls” even more irritating.

29. “Coldest Winter”

This is the final track on the electronic departure album 808s where Kanye says goodbye to his mother and wonders if he’ll ever be able to love again. He concludes the album saying that he never will. No one wants to see someone eternally wallowing in misery, so thankfully Kim and the birth of his new daughter have canceled out what Kanye prophesied for himself at his weakest moment.

28. “Hold My Liquor”

This is a smooth, melodic sequel to “Through the Wire” almost. Kanye raps about not being able to hold his liquor and losing control, crashing his car, experiencing death. Not just through the violence of a car crash though, through sex as well. He’s examining his own mortality in this song and as we’ve established, that’s usually when he’s at his best.

26. “Jesus Walks”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:So here go my single dawg radio needs this / They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus

Kanye’s struggling with his upbringing and the violence and poverty in some areas of Chicago. Religion is a subject he returns to continuously, though his solution to being unable to rap about Jesus seems to be “become Jesus yourself!” on Yeezus. That’s one way to do it.

25. “Love Lockdown”

When Kanye came out the gate with this song, he was making an announcement about not only his future in music, but the future of hip-hop in general. The drums in this song are still mesmerizing years later.

23. “Touch The Sky”

Late RegistrationSample Lyrics:A hip-hop legend, I think I died / In that accident, cause this must be heaven

Fellow Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco guests on this boisterous Just Blaze-produced track that samples Curtis Mayfield, a favorite of Kanye’s (and hip-hop in general, but most people just sample “Superfly”). The Mayfield song is “Move On Up” and that’s exactly what Kanye’s celebrating — all of his dreams coming true.

22. “Power”

The first single after his Taylor Swift controversy and shaming from the industry not seen since Chris Brown — oh wait, he was never really shamed by the industry, so moving on — Kanye recorded this track and most of his album in Hawaii. When he came back, it was with this anthem declaring that he was just as strong as ever and we all pretty much agreed.

21. “Family Business”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:This is family business / And this is for the family that can’t be with us

Kanye’s tribute to his family, whether they be those who are with him, those who have passed or those who’ve been locked up. It’s a reminder that he won’t forget the people who were with him when he started.

17. “New Slaves”

YeezusSample Lyrics:What you want, a Bentley? Fur coat? A diamond chain? / All you blacks want all the same things

As equal an indictment of the privatized prison system in America as it is a realization that Kanye has also enslaved himself by becoming obsessed with fame and fortune. He has no easy answers here, except to fight against a deck that’s been historically stacked against African-Americans. Kanye has always been a political rapper, but Yeezus is his most political and angriest to date.

16. “I’m In It”

Probably Kanye’s most sexually aggressive song to date, yet it oddly features Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. It’s a stark contrast from “Lost In The World,” but Kanye hasn’t lost his playfulness here. He’s on a full rap boast here and it’s electric.

14. “Gold Digger”

Late RegistrationSample Lyrics:She walking around looking like Michael with your money / Should’ve got that insured, Geico for your money

Another one of Kanye’s playful satires of women with the wrong priorities, but it’s 1) a fantastic song 2) has a Ray Charles-sampling hook by Jamie Foxx and 3) turns it back around on the men who also have the wrong priorities.

13. “Blood On The Leaves”

YeezusSample Lyrics:Let’s take it back to the first party / When you tried your first molly / And came out of your body

A sample of “Strange Fruit” on a hip-hop track shouldn’t work. But it does, which is Kanye’s genius at work. The destruction of a relationship due to selfish reasons contrasted with Billie Holiday’s iconic tune shows that Kanye’s political attack finger is equal opportunity and not just against white America.

If the sample still upsets you, take a look at Spotify where there are about six dance remixes to “Strange Fruit” and watch your head explode.

12. “So Appalled”

Whether or not you like this song determines whether you think Kanye actually believes the things he protests. He says on this track he’d rather rap about something with a purpose, then raps on the next line about “champagne wishes.” The irony is hilarious. If you don’t think he’s being ironic, however, then you probably hate this song and think he’s full of himself.

10. “Through The Wire”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:I must got a angel / ‘Cuz look how death missed his ass / Unbreakable, what you thought, they’d call me Mr. Glass?

After Kanye’s car accident, he recorded this song while his jaw was wired shut and released it as the lead single from his debut album. This is song started Kanye’s solo career, with a memorable Chaka Kahn sample to boot.

9. “I Am A God”

This song will be the most talked about on Yeezus, if only because Kanye takes a waiter to task for not bringing him his croissants in a timely manner and he because HE REFERS TO HIMSELF AS GOD. Not the actual big guy, really, he considers himself a God in the cultural sense, or probably in a Greek mythology way. But it’s easily his most boastful, audacious record ever and destined to be his most polarizing.

5. “Heartless”

808s & HeartbreakSample Lyrics:How could you be so Dr. Evil? / You bringing out a side of me that I don’t know

One one hand, this ushered in a new era of musical production in hip-hop. One the other hand, this ushered in a new era of auto tuning in R&B and hip-hop that has only now managed to go far, far away. The fact that this song is still amazing is a credit to Kanye’s gifts.

4. “Devil In A New Dress”

My Beautiful Dark Twisted FantasySample Lyrics:I hit the Jamaican spot, at the bar, take a seat / I ordered the jerk, she said you are what you eat

This is easily Kanye at his most grandiose and operatic. Lyrically, it’s probably his best achievement. The Smokey Robinson “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” sample lulls you into an immediate trance. The only reason it’s not ranked higher is because it’s not a solo effort on Kanye’s part, but there’s no doubt that Rick Ross puts in work and murders his verse.

3. “Spaceship”

The College DropoutSample Lyrics:I’ve been workin’ this graveshift and I ain’t made shit / I wish I could buy me a spaceship and fly past the sky

Never officially released as a single, it’s the best track off Kanye’s debut album. It’s also one of the first signs that he wouldn’t be just any ordinary rapper. The subject matter of this song, the welfare of African-Americans, has remained one of his main political concerns for a decade.

2. “Black Skinhead”

The most ambitious song on an extremely controversial and polarizing album. A battle cry against racism and class warfare in America, Kanye reclaims the word “skinhead” as it was originally created in 1960s London — a subculture that originated amongst the working class. It’s a dark, angry, tribal, electronic explosion of sound and the best single track from Yeezus.